里海盐爪爪 li hai yan zhua zhua

Salicornia caspica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 4. 1753.

Plants 20-70 cm tall. Stems suberect, usually branched from middle; branches gray-white, with longitudinal fissures; branchlets usually bearing inflorescences at apex. Leaves undeveloped, tuberculate, ca. 1 mm, base convex, decurrent, adnate to branch, distally touching base of next higher leaf, apex obtuse; leaves of branchlets sheathing and amplexicaul at base. Spikes terete, 5-25 × 1.5-3 mm. Flowers 3 per bract. Perianth top surface flattened in fruit, pentagonal, with 4 small teeth. Seed red-brown, ovoid or globose, 1.2-1.5 mm in diam., papillate. Fr. and fl. Jul-Aug.

Saline and alkaline mud flats, salt-lake shores. N Xinjiang [C and SW Asia, SE Europe].